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Bomb Group: The Eighth Air Force's 381st and The Allied Air Offensive Over Europe
"The authors do a good job using the diaries, interviews, and books written by group members to convey a vivid—sometimes too vivid—picture of war at its most elemental." —The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation
In February 1942, a reconnaissance party of United States Army Air Force officers arrived in England. Firmly wedded to the doctrine of daylight precision bombing, they believed they could help turn the tide of the war in Europe. In the months that followed, they formed the Eighth Air Force – an organization that grew at an astonishing rate. To accommodate it, almost seventy airfields were hastily built across the eastern counties of England. At the heart of the Eighth Air Force was its bombardment groups, each equipped with scores of heavily armed, four-engine bombers. These Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators were soon punching through the enemy's defenses to bomb targets vital to its war effort. They were crewed by thousands of young American airmen, most of whom were volunteers. This book tells the story of just one "Bomb Group" – the 381st, which crossed the Atlantic in May 1943. Arriving at RAF Ridgewell on the Essex-Suffolk border, its airmen quickly found themselves thrown into the hazardous and attritional air battle raging in the skies over Europe. The 381st’s path led from its formation in the Texan desert, to its 297th and final bombing mission deep into the heart of Hitler’s Third Reich. This is the remarkable story of one group and the part it played in the strategic bombing campaign of "The Mighty Eighth."
In February 1942, a reconnaissance party of United States Army Air Force officers arrived in England. Firmly wedded to the doctrine of daylight precision bombing, they believed they could help turn the tide of the war in Europe. In the months that followed, they formed the Eighth Air Force – an organization that grew at an astonishing rate. To accommodate it, almost seventy airfields were hastily built across the eastern counties of England. At the heart of the Eighth Air Force was its bombardment groups, each equipped with scores of heavily armed, four-engine bombers. These Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators were soon punching through the enemy's defenses to bomb targets vital to its war effort. They were crewed by thousands of young American airmen, most of whom were volunteers. This book tells the story of just one "Bomb Group" – the 381st, which crossed the Atlantic in May 1943. Arriving at RAF Ridgewell on the Essex-Suffolk border, its airmen quickly found themselves thrown into the hazardous and attritional air battle raging in the skies over Europe. The 381st’s path led from its formation in the Texan desert, to its 297th and final bombing mission deep into the heart of Hitler’s Third Reich. This is the remarkable story of one group and the part it played in the strategic bombing campaign of "The Mighty Eighth."
- GenresWorld War II
698 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 3, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 20, 2025
Listened to this on History Happy Hour 081725: The 381st Bomb Group went into action over the skies of Europe in June 1943, and flew 297 missions before the end of the war. Based out of Ridgewell, UK, their story is the story of the Eighth Air Force and the daylight bombing of Europe—hours of frozen monotony, moments of sheer terror over target, horrifying casualties, and ultimate victory.. Chris and Rick will dig into their story with Paul Bingley, co-author of the book Bomb Group: The Eighth Air Force's 381st and the Allied Air Offensive Over Europe.
January 23, 2024
This 'intimate history' of one bombardment group (heavy) is just that. The focus is squarely on the men who armed, fueled, flew and repaired B-17s and those who planned their missions over occupied countries and Germany from June, 1943 to May, 1945. So much has been written about the USAAF 8th Air Force that it's hard to read another book without comparing it to many others. This one reads like a very detailed Twelve O'clock High (the real missions fictionalized in that novel) mingled with much of Roger A. Freeman's classic history Mighty Eighth, two books that mesmerized me as an eager 8th-grader enthralled by all aspects of WWII. Mr. Bingley's book reflects an earnest desire to pay tribute to the men and not dwell too much on the 'big picture' that the aircrews (and their ground crews) tried to block out. Looking ahead was painful when the odds were against you surviving 25 missions. While the aircrews take center stage, all five thousand plus G.I.s who made up the group get recognized. For those interested in learning about the USAAF heavy bomb group experience, this book is perfect. It does not provide a full understanding of the U.S. precision bombing offensive, and it offers no information about the German defenses or those on the ground who endured the bombing. (Who were overwhelmingly German, French, Belgian and Dutch civilians.) Recommended to anyone looking for a window into the grim world of daylight bomb missions over Europe as experienced by mostly young American airmen. Note: My wife's uncle and four of his crew were KIA, and the five other became POWs, on Mission #159, December 20, 1943 when B-17G-5-DL 42-3563, 532nd Bomb Squadron (H), 381st Bomb Group (H) was shot down. See Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 1721.
February 12, 2023
A tough book to rate, way too much information, a great reference book if you are looking for a particular airman or plane from the eighth air force. Dry and to the point. Everyone is a hero, yet everyone is just doing his job.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews